<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Red and White by SoongTypeDisaster</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24666826">Red and White</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoongTypeDisaster/pseuds/SoongTypeDisaster'>SoongTypeDisaster</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Summer King Chronicles - Jess E. Owen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, Alternate Ending, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Flash Fic, Vignette</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:20:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>986</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24666826</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoongTypeDisaster/pseuds/SoongTypeDisaster</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of brief moments in an alternate universe where Sverin met a different fate.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sverin/Ragna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Red and White</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This all takes place at the end of By the Silver Wind, and presents a slightly altered ending to the final battle. If you have not yet read BTSW, read at your own risk, as this may contain spoilers.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rashard stepped back from the massive red body, having done all he could, and gusted a sigh of relief. "He was lucky," he answered to Kjorn's questioning look. "It's not as bad as it looks. He'll need rest, but he will live."</p><p>Whatever sense of composure Kjorn may have had left broke then as he sank slowly to the ground. "Father..."</p><p>But words would have to wait. The Red King was sleeping soundly, now, and he would have to trust Shard's herbs to do their work.</p>
<hr/><p>It was a few days later when they all gathered together in Sverin's den - Rashard, Caj, Kjorn, and Thyra, who had brought their newborn kit to meet his grandfather. And, strangely, Ragna. She stood at the Red King's side, mirroring Caj on the other. Kjorn marveled at the change. Here was his father, behaving more warmly than he'd ever seen, and he was certain it couldn't all be exhaustion due to healing. Sverin was strong enough now to step out of his nest, and regarded his son with a touch of wariness that made Kjorn wince with a pang of regret. "Father, about what I said--"</p><p>Sverin made an abortive noise and shook his head, bending to a shaky mantle on the stone floor. "What you said was needed, my son. I have much to atone for." He rose and resettled his wings, the cold mask fallen away, the king replaced entirely with nothing more than a worried father. "You deserved better than what I gave you, even if I convinced myself I was acting for the best."</p><p>"Still, I want you to know that--" He paused, noticing now that Ragna stood just a little closer than Caj. That her wing reached out just barely to brush Sverin's. That her tail crossed over his in a subtle but unmistakeable gesture. "...You're not coming back to the Winderost with me, are you?" He caught Rashard's eye. His wingbrother looked bemused, but quickly recovered.</p><p>"I think," Shard said with a wry edge, "Sverin isn't quite done with his sentence just yet."</p><p>"As I said," he answered, rolling his wings in a shrug. "I have much to atone for." Kjorn glanced once again at his wingbrother, and suspected Sverin would have a lot more to atone for if he left for the Winderost and left Ragna behind. Or, indeed, if he tried to drag her away from her son when she had spent ten long years waiting for Shard to know the truth.</p>
<hr/><p>Weeks passed, wounds healed, and over time Ragna and Sverin became less covert about their newfound feelings for each other. The first time she had caught herself leaning fully into him, she had glared at Caj, daring him to say a word. But neither he nor Sigrun ever commented on it. Ragna supposed it was for the best. It was strange enough to her. Surely strange to the pride, though with Rashard's return all those rough edges were smoothing over and her Vanir were beginning at last to forgive. Sverin had been working diligently to serve the new king as soon as his injuries were stable, and the pride began to see it was no ruse, no long game to take them over again. Much like the change in Halvden, the change in Sverin had been vast, and seemingly overnight. Her son's explanation had told her a little of why. The dragon blessing was like two sides of an old log, and once Sverin had it in his mind to improve, he did so earnestly and the blessing imbued him with greater honor, courage, and humility than he had ever shown before.</p><p>Ragna had once wondered at how time and events could cause lovers, friends, mates to turn to enemies, had wondered if the opposite could also happen. Now she knew. He was no replacement for Baldr, and she no replacement for Elena, but they were content.</p>
<hr/><p>Leaving was bittersweet. Kjorn would miss the Silver Isles, miss his wingbrother, his father. But Thyra was coming with him, their son, and a whole host of new friends. So much had changed, and all so very quickly. He had spent the night on the cliffs with Rashard, talking and laughing and relishing their last time together until Kjorn had fallen fast asleep. He got the suspicion that Shard had stayed up all night, just watching him.</p><p>His father, however, hadn't interrupted, doing his best to give Kjorn space, and, perhaps, fearing that too much time spent together would make their parting more difficult. But the former king stood on the cliffs with the others now, ready to bid Kjorn's party farewell. Sverin lifted his wings now, and Kjorn took a step forward, giving his father all the excuse he needed to meet him the rest of the way.</p><p>Without pride or pretense Sverin butted his head gently up against his son, leaning into him a little as if it would give him strength. Or perhaps it was to give him all the affection he would be unable to share while they lived apart, all the affection that had been lacking when the Red King had grown cold, distant, and near madness. For a few moments Kjorn thought his father wouldn't speak at all, but then Sverin stepped back, regarding him with sun-touched eyes that no longer held their old severity.</p><p>"Fair winds, my son."</p><p>"Father, I--" Sverin nudged him with a wing.</p><p>"Go. Lead them. Be the great king I never was."</p><p>Ragna stepped forward, then, with Shard and Brynja just a little behind. "Tyr's first light is almost past, my lord," she murmured, slipping up to Sverin's side. She was right. He had delayed long enough. He stepped back, lifting his wings, and the white widow nodded in approval. "All winds favor your journey."</p><p>And, with a last look over the faces he'd be leaving, Kjorn called the order to fly.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>